What is the impact, the toll, the price you pay for your present choices and actions?
“Are you a slow learner?” Personally, I would never ask this of a client who didn’t seem to “get it” but this is something a lawyer once asked a client of mine and it proved to be effective in synching his wisdom with his actions!
What is your greatest gift?
What is the downside of positive change?
Rational Behavior Therapy (Dr. Maxie Maultsby) the Five questions he poses in order for us to find clarity regarding our thoughts, actions, and beliefs; Is my thinking here factual?
Will my thinking here best help me protect my life and health?
Will my thinking here best help me achieve my short-term and long-term goals?
Will my thinking here best help me avoid my most undesirable conflicts with others?
Will my thinking here best help me feel the emotions I want to feel?
What is/are the fear/s that’s holding you back?
How would you prefer to think about that? (i.e., a particular situation)
What would love to do here?
What would your life look like if everything was working?
How willing are you to apply your intelligence?
Do you want to be a victim of history or a master of destiny?
How can you serve others?
Do you wish to be a Worrier or a Warrior?
Every behavior has a positive intent and all behaviors are in pursuit of a goal! Therefore; what is the goal behind the behavior that you are querying or questioning?
If we view emotion (i.e. anger) as a commodity – what do you do with that?
How good can you stand it? (This is regarding your own limiting beliefs)
Is there something about a clean/sober/non-compulsive way of living that excites you enough to create positive motivation and take the necessary steps?
What choices are you making that keep you from being excellent?
“Existential anxiety” – “..knowing that death is inevitable – we can choose our attitude and its meaning.” (Yalom) The three other “ultimate anxieties” are:
- Freedom – an awareness that we are authors of our own lives – the “What ifs”
- Isolation – an awareness that we are fundamentally separate from all others.
- Meaninglessness – knowing all this – why bother getting up each morning?
Can you choose joy and contentment?
Suicide is a problem for us, but a solution in someone else’s view. If you have any of these ideations then please ask yourself – What problem would it solve?
If another solution to your problem could be found – would you be willing to live?
What could earn forgiveness for others in your life and for yourself?
With recurrent depression, the two most common underlying assumption themes are perfectionism and dependency. So consider answering the following questions:
If I don’t do something perfectly then …
If I do something perfectly then …
If someone doesn’t love, like, or approve of me then …
What is desirable, nourishing, and welcome, or vice versa?
If you had one more day. How would you spend it and with whom?
What stops you from embracing it now?
NOW is the moment of Power. Using the acronym W.I.N. – What’s Important Now?
Goal-setting – How do you want to be?
How would you know when you are there?
What dreams did you have as a child that you have given up on?
Who do you wish you could be like?
What would you like to do that you haven’t been able to do yet?
What would you do, attempt, or be if your success was guaranteed?
What legacy of self would you like to leave behind?
What do you know that you are not admitting to yourself yet?
If you were to begin to have a new and better experience in life, what would it look like or feel like?
What will happen if you don’t go for your dreams and goals?
What will life be it like if you do accomplish your dreams and goals?
How alive are you with your dreams?
How alive are you without your dreams?
Are you a “stubborn victim” or a “tenacious survivor”?
